


Hand It Over

by Lazygrin



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, One Shot, secret fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 14:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12235221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazygrin/pseuds/Lazygrin
Summary: The town witnesses a shady handover going down, but all is not what it appears.





	Hand It Over

Hand It Over

 

Granny’s diner was packed that night. Snow, David, Little Neal Emma and Killian had been eating lasagne together in a booth, while Henry and Violet were sat at the counter digging into fries. Leroy and the crew stepped in and looked around, Belle and Ruby waved to them from the table as baby Gideon gurgled from his seat on Ruby’s lap, as they caught up over hot chocolates, discussing Ruby’s recent move back home. Regina and Zelena were sat at the bar commiserating over Zelenas recent move from the farmhouse to a smaller townhouse, the whole place was buzzing and busy, filled with chatter and laughter, but it was dark now outside.

Snow yawned and moved as if to get up from her seat.’ It’s getting late, we should get back.’

‘Yeah’ David agreed ‘I certainly need my beauty sleep’ Emma rolled he eyes and Killian chuckled. 

She had not taken two steps toward the door when darkness suddenly shrouded the diner, and a mysterious purple haze filled the place, curling around and sending tingles down spines. Silence filled the place, until Zelena piped up.

‘This doesn’t look good. Looks like something I would do.’

‘Tell me about it’ Regina deadpanned.

‘Hey, look’ Henry called from his seat at the counter, pointing towards the mirror. ‘No reflections. It’s like we aren’t here.’

‘Weird’, Emma mused. ‘Why would someone not want us here?’

At this point Jefferson strode into the diner, looked around with satisfaction and and took a seat at a table, propped his feet on a chair, depositing a box on the table.

‘Are you kidding? Him again? Has he finally cracked and dissipated us?’ Snow was fuming. ‘He is nothing but trouble. And I know people that are trouble!’

‘If that’s directed at me-‘ Zelena began 

‘Oh hush, someone’s paranoid’ Regina continued as the bell tinkled above the diner door.

‘Speaking of trouble…’ Killian cut in. Gold stepped in, brushed some snow from his shoulders and began to take off his gloves, before addressing Jefferson.

‘You have it, then.’

‘I certainly do.’ Jefferson smirks. ‘Not easy, I’ll tell you. I had to do some serious bargaining and I don’t even know what it is.’ He tapped the box mysteriously, and Gold raised his eyebrows.

‘You weren’t supposed to bargain, you were supposed to fetch.’ He drawled slowly in his thick accent. ‘Do you have trouble understanding instructions?’

‘Well I couldn’t have you wasting a few extra hundred thousand on something that’s smaller then a breadbasket.’ Jefferson shot back.  
‘What’s in the box is none of your concern, Jefferson. I just wanted you to collect.’

Jefferson swung his feet from the chair and stood, before pausing and turning to Gold, examining his flat expression before speaking. ‘But should it be my concern?’

‘I beg your pardon?’ 

‘I mean, I just did a back alley deal for 1.2 million pounds, with a rich but very shady guy in London for what I can only assume is a cursed or dangerous artefact. And you wanted to hand to over to me with secrecy and very –cloak-and-dagger instructions. Your specific instructions were ‘we need to meet where my wife won’t find us’, and if Belle, your reigning influence for good can’t know that it must be something….less than good.’ He paused here waiting for a response.

Gold shrugged. ‘What an interesting deduction.’ He purred, quietly, dangerously.

‘And I’m right, yes?’ Jefferson continued. ‘Whatever is in this box is something you want kept hidden. Secret. And with you that’s never good.’ Gold didn’t answer for a moment, but only smiled that wolfish smile.

‘And yet, you agreed. I think our transaction here is done. Out of curiosity, how did you manage to get the diner empty?’

‘Well, I’m poor. You pay well. Cloaking spell, they won’t even know we were here. And Belle will definitely not know ether. Hiding under her very nose.’

At this Leroy finally exploded. ‘That …dirty…evil… I KNEW he couldn’t be trusted! The rest of the haze-world murmured in agreement and Belles forehead was furrowed. Something here was very wrong.

'Looks like he is back to his old ways.' Regina added. 'I mean, he has been playing goody-goody for a few months, is it surprising?'

Belle shot Regina a very dirty look. 'Regina, until you know the full story, just can it. You should know things aren't always what they appear. even if they appear very... very bad.'

Jefferson, in the meantime was driving on with his questions ‘So, what is it?’

‘I’m sorry, that’s really none of your business.’ Gold murmured.

‘Sure it is, if I should be concerned if you are importing cursed artefacts into the town. Do I need to prepare?’  
Gold huffed now. ‘Do I not pay you enough?’ His tone became more clipped as if he was reaching the limit of his patience.

‘You did, very well in fact, but this is more curiosity.’

Gold made a move to put his gloves back on. ‘Curiosity costs.’

‘You want the money back?’

‘No, but if I divulge what is in my private package, I’d like another favour in hand, in case I need you again.’

‘Is it worth it?’

Gold tilted his head as he saw that Jefferson was very very desperate to know what was inside. ‘Well’, he mused slowly, ‘only you can decide that.’

Jefferson caved. ‘Go on then. Show me’

Gold, leant forward, broke the seal and lifted the lid of the box, Jefferson peeked inside and looked unimpressed back up at him. Resting in the foamlined box, was-

‘It’s a book. A dirty, old threadbare book. It had better have some good magic if you paid all that money for that.’ Jefferson looked incredulous. ‘And it’s not even in English! What is that, French?’

Gold huffed and shut the lid of the box with a snap, his patience ended, before he spat out – ‘It’s not magic.’  
Jefferson’s eyebrows twitched. Before he slowly repeated. ‘Its. Not. Magic. Are you telling me that I flew to London, met with a shady broker, handed over a huge amount of money, carried the item back through customs, by the way, sweating like a pig because I thought whatever this was either illegal or cursed-‘

‘Why would you think it was illegal or cursed?’ Gold questioned, his gloves back on now.

‘Are you kidding? The secrecy, you being very every sure to ensure that no-one knew about it, meeting in a magic dimension to ensure safe handover?’

Gold dryly remarked. ‘The magic was your call. I was happy with the docks.’

Jefferson was almost high pitched now with annoyance. ‘GOLD, it’s a goddamn BOOK. Was it honestly worth it?’

In the haze world all eyes turned to Gold

He calmly closed the lid and tuned on his heels to come around the table. ‘The ‘dirty book’ as you so eloquently put it is not actually a book. It’s a manuscript. It’s the first recorded version of a tale that is important to me. It’s rare. It’s expensive. It’s passed hands recently and I’ve had to do a private deal to avoid it going into a museum.’

‘So why didn’t you want Belle to know if it’s just a book. That’s still plain shady.

‘I should have been clearer. I don’t want Belle to know YET. He paused for a moment. ‘Our anniversary isn’t for two days.’ Gold smiled again, a little unrestrained this time.

Jefferson shook his head. ‘It’s a present. For Belle. God, I’m an idiot.’ He gathered up his coat and swung it over his shoulders. ‘You’re a jackass Gold. And didn’t you get married in May or June or whatever? It’s February, and it’s freezing.’

‘It’s not that anniversary.’ 

Jefferson snorted and made to leave, before Gold continued ‘Don’t forget. You still owe me a favour, Jefferson. How long till the cloak wears off?’

‘Half-hour. I think. It was hard to brew and I’m not sure I even did it right. And screw you, Gold. Next time get UPS to do your dirty work.’ Jefferson swept out of the diner with style, and Gold chuckled as he went, before turning his attention back to the box in question. He opened the lid one last time, produced a paper and pen with a wave of his hand and scribed a note, signed it with a flourish and closed the lid again. Gold bundled up the box and stepped out of the diner.

-x-

Two days later, Belle was sat on a blanket, Gideon burbling nearby, smiling broadly at the grey-haired, brown eyed man sat next to her, who was holding her hand, wrapped up against the cold.

‘Well, come on then.’ Belle said, twisting her fingers in his hand.

‘Come on then what? We are just having a picnic-

-In the cold, by our well, on the anniversary of the day we first realised we were MADLY in love with each other, so come on.’

‘I don’t know what you mean’ Gold turned his head looking into the trees.

Belle grasped his chin to turn his face towards her and kissed the tip of his nose, causing him to break into a wide and happy smile.

‘Come on then, Rumple, husband of mine, love of my life. Hand it over.’


End file.
